Ceramic figurines include bisque birds decorated with glazes and kiln fired.
For this particular ceramic decoration, visit a ceramic supplier and be sure to choose a glaze that is compatible with others; your ceramic dealer will be able to advise you and arrange the firing process.
Bisque Ware:
It is suggested that you purchase a piece which is already bisque ware ( when the green ware has been fired,) this gives you a piece which is less fragile to work on. Be sure to select glazes which are used on bisque.
Materials required:
Make sure your work area is clean and free from dust.
- Wipe your piece over with a damp sponge. Take a small portion of yellow glaze and place on the palette. Thin with water if necessary ( this applies to all colours). With a ½ inch square shader brush, apply smooth even strokes, beginning at the head and following the wing span, then cover the tail, top and underneath. Read the instructions on your particular glaze label as some suggest two coats.
- With jade green and a finer brush shade the feathery tones of the wings and tail, allowing the yellow to show through in areas.
- With light blue and a square shader, paint the throat and breast of the bird, taking the colour right up to and under the tail. This is then shaded with a crimson tone also applied to the wings.
- With a brown glaze and square shader flow the colour onto the tree trunk and make sure it sinks into the grooves of the trunk. Also, with a pointed brush, paint the beak ,eyes and legs with brown.
- Fold soft cloth around your finger and rub back some highlights on the tree trunk.
- With a large flat shader brush apply pur white glaze to the base with smooth even strokes. Be sure to take it up to, but not beyond, the base of the tree.
- Set your piece aside until the glazes are dry (a hairdryer is an advantage to hasten drying time.)
- Shake and stir the clear glaze well before applying two or three coats, using a clean, large brush and make sure you cover the entire area of your piece. Keep under the base free from glaze.These clear glazes are usually tinted blue which enables you to see your coverage. Allow drying time between applications.
Now your ceramic sculpture is ready to be fired in a kiln. If you need to transport it to a ceramic dealer for firing, pack it carefully and include the firing temperatures which were on your glazes.
The copyright of the article Painting Ceramic Bird Figurines in Pottery is owned by Aileen McLeod. Permission to republish Painting Ceramic Bird Figurines must be granted by the author in writing.
